Miles takes five wickets in his final Glo’sters game
CRAIG Miles marked his farewell match for Gloucestershire with a five -wicket haul before Luis Reece put Derbyshire back in the Division Two County Championship match at Derby, writes Nigel Gardner.
Miles, pictured, who joins Warwickshire next season, took 5 for 50 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 184 with Reece top scoring with 59.
Wayne Madsen completed 1,000 championship runs for the season but Miles and Matt Taylor with 3 for 32 ran through the home side who hit back when Reece took four wickets to reduce Gloucestershire to 100 for 5 at the close. Gloucestershire’s bowlers had initially struggled and Reece took advantage of some wide and overpitched deliveries.
He saw Billy Godleman edge a drive at Miles into his stumps and then watched as Madsen passed 1,000 runs for the fifth time in six seasons with a boundary off Matt Taylor who had Reece spilled at third slip on 32.
Madsen went soon after, trapped in front by Ryan Higgins and after Reece clipped Miles off his legs for his eighth four to reach 50, he edged a good ball from the seamer to second slip. Higgins found some late movement to bowl Tom Lace in the second over after lunch but Matt Critchley and Alex Hughes batted well to add 51 before Miles started the slide that saw Derbyshire lose six wickets for 35.
Critchley was lured into driving at a wide ball and Hughes was lbw, leaving Taylor to sweep away the tail in the space of two overs. Harvey Hosein played across the line, Hardus Viljoen was caught on the crease and Palladino offered no shot to one that swung back enough to clip the off stump. When Anuj Dal clipped Miles to fine leg, Derbyshire’s last four wickets had tumbled for 14 and the day threatened to get worse for the hosts when Hosein dropped Chris Dent off Lockie Ferguson on nine.
Palladino was rewarded when he bowled Miles Hammond but Gloucestershire were starting to take control until Reece delivered his best spell. The all-rounder got just enough seam movement to have James Bracey and Benny Howell lbw and his accurate line accounted for Ben Charlesworth and Dent as Derbyshire shaded an eventful day.
Speaking afterwards. Matt Taylor said: “It’s nice knowing we’ve still got Jack (Taylor) and Ryan (Higgins) to come so hopefully we can go past their score and then see where we’re at.
“I don’t think the pitch will get any worse, I think it will stay the same the whole game with a little bit of nip and swing. It’s a little bit slow but it’s not the worst wicket at all.”